Building Resilience and Supporting Emotional Well-Being in Climate Change Education: A Systematic Review of School-Based Climate Change Literacy Programmes for Children

As climate change education becomes increasingly urgent, there is growing concern about how such education affects children's mental health. This systematic review examined whether school-based climate change literacy programmes for children under 18 years incorporate elements designed to build resilience and support emotional well-being. Using our PROSPERO protocol, we searched six academic and four grey literature databases for studies published since 2019, the year the climate emergency was declared. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, spanning a range of geographical regions and programme designs. Findings indicate that while most interventions (12/16) included components fostering resilience, such as active, participatory learning, real-world problem-solving, and community engagement, only two explicitly supported children's emotional well-being by providing space to reflect on climate-related emotions. The review highlights a lack of consistent integration of emotional support within climate literacy education, despite increasing levels of climate change anxiety reported among young people globally. While many programmes focus on knowledge-building and mitigation actions, fewer offer opportunities for children to process distressing emotions related to climate change. Addressing this is crucial to ensure a more holistic approach to climate change education, safeguard mental health and equip children for the challenges of a climate-affected future.